Lucy's Strength
by XFirestorm
Summary: Lucy Heartfilia was stronger than her team thought. Even though she had never taken a solo mission, she was about to. Her team left her and she was tired of people thinking she was weak. -After Edolas, before Tenro-
1. Chapter 1

Lucy grinned as she sat in her bath. Natsu wasn't there to annoy her, she couldn't hear Happy scratching her walls, Erza wasn't eating her cake, and Gray wasn't on her couch naked. It was surprisingly peaceful, something she missed. She stood up and wrapped herself in her towel. Taking her time, she wiped down her body and put some clothes on. She chose a long purple dress with slits next to her thighs. A new look was good every once in a while. She slipped on some silver heels and closed the door to her apartment.

As she walked to the guild, she couldn't help but feel happy. It was a great start to her morning. Nothing could go wrong. She opened the doors to the guild, smiling at everyone. It seemed slightly empty, but she shrugged it off as the size of the guild. It was a huge guild. After everything that happened with Phantom Lord and Fantasia, Master tried his hardest to keep the guild in top condition, making the brawlers clean up after themselves. Having Laki as a wood mage really helped with replacing broken chairs and tables.

Lucy walked towards the request board, hoping to earn some more rent money. The last mission her team finished ended with the money going to repairs. She was not sure what to do. She had just learned her new Star Dress magic and was confident it was good enough for battle. The problem Lucy faced, was whether she should tell her team about her increased magical power, or go on a mission on her own and test it out on an enemy. She had trained her hardest with her spirits for the past few months, learning new Celestial magic and expanding her magical capacity. Not only had her magical capability increased, but so had her physical endurance. She had gained a toned body from working out with Capricorn. It was rough at first, always eating protein and having a balanced diet, but soon it became a routine Lucy was not going to break any time soon. She was not allowed to drink her favorite smoothies anymore or any strawberry cake.

"Lucy," Master Makarov's voice was heard behind her. She froze, not wanting him to notice her debate. He would get suspicious and begin to question her, maybe even make her go on a mission with someone else. She was sick of people doubting her magical ability.

"Hello, master," she said, turning around politely.

"There is something different about you," he noted, glancing at her. He could feel her magical power oozing off of her. She held back a grin. She knew she had increased her magical energy, but didn't know it was enough to catch Master Makarov's attention.

"Master, I have," she hesitated, "learned a new form of Celestial Magic. I've become stronger." Master Makarov nodded, knowing how she felt about her teammates. He felt pity towards her sometimes. She was known as the weakest one on Team Natsu. Not many people acknowledged her after the team's requests. Many people would congratulate Natsu, Gray, and Erza, maybe Happy, but rarely Lucy. She was looked down upon because of her magic type. Many people believed Celestial Mages to be weak, but Makarov knew better. He knew how much energy it took to summon a gold key. It took more energy than summoning 10 of Erza's swords. It pained him to see her be downgraded by other guild members. He wanted to point it out, but felt it would be embarrassing for her. During the past few months, he had felt a change in her. Almost a new resolve. She seemed stronger and more capable of using her abilities to the fullest.

"Can you show me?" He asked. She shook her head, looking down.

"I want my team to be the first to see it, which is why I am looking for a mission," she said. Master Makarov frowned and Lucy looked at him questioningly.

"Did no one tell you that they had all gone on separate missions?" Makarov asked. He felt anger bubble inside of him as he noticed her confused expression. Lucy's eyes widened.

"What?" She said. He nodded, frowning deeper. How could her team just leave her like that?

"Natsu went on a mission with Lisanna and Happy. Gray went on a mission with Juvia. Erza went solo. Levy, Gajeel, and Pantherlily went on a mission as well as Wendy, Romeo, and Charle," he said anger increasing, "None of them informed you?" She frowned and shook her head.

"I guess not," she fake smiled, "But it's ok, that means my decision has been solved. I can practice my own magic while they are gone. Maybe I'll even get some rent money!" Makarov nodded at her enthusiasm, but could tell she was upset. Lucy quickly grabbed a mission from the request board before heading out.

"I'll be out for a week, tops! Don't come looking for me!" she grinned teasingly, but there was sadness held behind it. Makarov knew she felt betrayed by her teammates. His mug was crushed in his hand as he released his anger.

"Those brats," he scowled, standing up and walking to his office.

Lucy sat in the train and leaned against the window. She didn't want to take company from Plue, knowing he was better off in the Spirit World than listen to her complain. A tear slipped from her eye. Why did no one tell her they were leaving? Not even Erza. She didn't want to feel it, but there was no stopping it. She felt betrayed. All her friends left, and not one told her. Levy didn't even bother to tell her she was going on a mission with Gajeel. It wasn't that Lucy minded her friends going off without her. She knew they all needed some missions to do with other people, but a little notice would be good.

Lucy looked down at her request, and then her eyes bulged. "Fire Demon!" She shrieked. This seemed too extreme to be an A Class mission! How was she supposed to do this? She couldn't go home and be looked down upon by everyone else. And asking for help would make her feel weak. She had her Celestial Spirits and her magic. There was nothing else she needed.

"Fire Demon terrorizing our city," she felt herself pout further, "50,000 J Reward." Natsu would have been a great help on this mission. However, she was stronger. She had new magic which she could use. Her Aquarius Star Dress was powerful and would help against the Fire Demon. She could successfully use Urano Metria without passing out, and had been given a sword from the Celestial King to use. She could do this. She grinned, a new determination bubbling inside her as she arrived at Yuka Town.

-At the Guild-

Makarov sipped his beer, pondering over the thoughts of Lucy and her teammates. The job she took seemed odd. There was something that made him feel strange, but he wasn't sure what it was. The guild was nearly empty. Almost everyone was gone from the guild. Macao and Wakaba had gone on separate jobs to see who could get done quicker. The Thunder God Tribe had gone on a mission. Elfman stayed with MiraJane, chatting with her quietly.

"Master!" Mira called from behind the bar. Makarov turned around and his eyes widened as she held up a new request.

"This is a new request from Yuka Town. The Magic Council has made the request S Class because of the amount of mages that have gone missing," she said, "Maybe Team Natsu will take it when they come back." Makarov spit out his beer. This was the request Lucy was taking.

"Lucy is taking that!" Makarov exclaimed, "I should have taken her off the second I felt something was wrong." He quickly pulled out his communications lacrima before attempting to call her.

"No response," he said. Mira frowned.

"Lucy might just be capable of this. And technically she is not breaking the rules. This was just made S Class. Let her try. If we don't hear word from her, then we can send out her team," she said. Mira had faith in the girl. She had seen Lucy training at the guild early morning and was surprised by how far she had come. Mira knew that Team Natsu held her back, always sending her out as bait. They never really let her do much on missions. Mira felt it made Lucy's self-esteem go down.

"Alright, Mira. But if I hear one rumor about Yuka Town, I'm sending someone to find her and bring her home. Who knows how dangerous this will be. I know Lucy is a capable mage, but she hasn't done a solo mission," he said.

"Master, are you doubting Lucy? " Mira frowned, "Lucy is strong enough to take care of herself. You've noticed the change in her also. She has become stronger. Maybe close to Natsu's level." Makarov nodded and sipped his beer once more. He couldn't help but have a sinking feeling.

-Lucy-

"I'm ready," she grinned. She walked to the town and noticed many burned down buildings and small fires being put out. It was a terrible sight. Ash floated around slightly. There wasn't a single area which had a clean spot, except for a large stone building. There were obviously weak runes built around it protecting it from harm.

"Are you the Fairy Tail mage?" an important looking man called out from the fire. He was old, but still held an air of respect around him. She nodded and walked towards him.

"I'm Mayor Baha," he introduced, cracking a small smile, "Welcome to Yuka Town. I apologize you had to see it in such a state." He frowned and Lucy felt her heart pang with sadness. She could tell how much he felt about the town he lived in.

"My name is Lucy. I am going to do everything I can to help you," she smiled, "Can you tell me about this demon?" He nodded, looking around the town sadly.

"This town used to be beautiful. Then, one night, some of the buildings were set aflame. I didn't think much of it, maybe it was a common fire. But then it began happening every night. I sent out some local knights to patrol the town. Only one returned. The rest were killed in a fire," he closed his eyes in agony, "He came back, one arm burned completely. He kept screaming about a demon. We assume it is a fire demon because of the amount of damage it has been doing and its relation to fire. I have evacuated the town, but some stayed, not wanting to part with the town they grew up in. I did the same. I was not going to abandon my town until I got rid of the demon."

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, feeling his sadness. He nodded and sighed.

"Thank you. Now that you are here, maybe we can finally restore this town. I can feel your magical energy. Many mages came, trying to get rid of the demon, but were unsuccessful. They all went missing. I was hesitant to let any more mages take it, fearing for their safety," he sighed, frustrated.

"Do you know where it comes from?" Lucy asked, taking out her notepad. She mostly used it for novel ideas, but since she was on her own, she had to put in 100 percent of her effort.

"The forest probably, there is always a trail leading towards it," he explained. She nodded and smiled at him.

"As a Fairy Tail mage, I will always be ready to fight and I will help you," she smiled. He nodded gratefully and she turned away from him. This was going to be hard. But she knew she could use Aquarius against the demon. Fire was weak against water. Juvia would have been good for this also. Lucy felt her head drop as she sighed. She couldn't do this on her own, but she would have to. A Celestial Wizard never breaks their promise.


	2. Chapter 2

Night had fallen in Yuka town. The villagers were trying to peacefully sleep in the mayor's office, knowing they had a powerful mage protecting them. Many families stuck together, praying for their safety. Others sat alone, crying softly at their losses or actually sleeping. Suddenly, a loud roar was heard, shaking the entire town. Everyone began to pray for their safety and for the mage's safety.

Lucy's eyes widened as she heard the loud roar resonating from the forest. She turned around and saw a large silhouette emerged from the forest. Trees were pushed to the ground and noises of animals running away could be heard. "Holy crap," she breathed, seeing a large monster emerge. It was half the size of the Lullaby Demon, but that did not mean it was not huge. It was on fire, literally. There was no sign of an actual body, meaning it was a spirit of some sort. Lucy's eyes widened as she came to this realization. This was not just some monster or demon, it was controlled by something, someone. If she could just find the person, she could free this town from the terror thy live in.

The demon began to move into the town. Lucy held her keys and moved towards the fountain in front of the mayor's office. "I call upon thee, Aquarius!" she exclaimed. Aquarius appeared with a serious expression. She knew how serious this was, sensing her master's fear and feelings in the Spirit World.

"Water Pillar!" Aquarius shouted, calling the attention of the demon. Lucy looked around as her spirit did so, hoping to find the spirit's master near her. She growled in frustration as she could not find any human looking being. She jumped out of her crouched position and drew her sword.

"Oh, spirits of the Celestial Realm, lend me your power," she chanted, channelling her magical energy to her sword, "Celestial Sword, Aquarius! Star Dress Form: Aquarius!" Aquarius smirked as her master transformed into her look-alike. She wore a blue bikini similar to hers and a long white flowing skirt with two slits in them.

Lucy charged towards the demon and attempted to hit it, using her water to push herself towards its face. As she impaled it with her sword, she felt its heat scorching her. She was bound to have more than a few burns marring her body. "Bubble shot!" Lucy shouted as Aquarius increased her magic, pushing into the demon harder with the water. Powerful balls of water hit the demon and it hissed. The sound was like a thousand nails scratching a chalkboard. She observed the demon's face and noticed white spheres turning inside the pupils. It looked like there were magic circles in them. Lucy panted slightly and she continued attacking the demon. There was no damage being done to it, except small scratches. It seemed like there was no possible way for her to fight it. Every time she tried getting close, she was thrown away by a blast of fire. Her body ached in pain.

The demon roared loudly, scorching flames flying out of its mouth and towards Lucy. She jumped away from it and ran towards the monster once more. "Bubble shot!" she repeated the spell with more force, causing her magical energy to slightly deplete. It caused the demon to stumble back slightly and lose its balance. Lucy grinned and began to summon a different weapon. But, before she could, the ground began to shake. A dark shadow enveloped the demon and Lucy threw herself away from the demon, trying to escape from whatever was happening to the demon.

"Force closure!" she yelled, pushing herself to safety as an explosion occurred. Her eyes widened as the darkness disappeared and all that was left was a large scratch of ash. Lucy leaned against the fountain her eyes wide. The amount of information she received from this battle was overwhelming. She needed to retreat to the mayor's office.

As Lucy ran over, she noticed a paper on the floor. She ran towards it and noticed a card. She picked it up hesitantly and stared at it. There was an image of the demon she was just fighting. So the man was a card mage like Cana? If she could just find the mage, this would be easier. She held it in her hand before running to the mayor's building. She banged on the door, and it was quickly opened.

"Do you need anything?" the woman asked, "food, water, bandages?"

"Just water please, and some cool towels," she said, grimacing at her burns.

"Yes ma'am," she said, moving away. Lucy blushed at the formality before moving to the room the mayor let her have. She opened the door and smiled tiredly at the chair. She sunk into it and lazily summoned Grandpa Crux.

"Crux, can you please look into this card?" she asked politely, holding out the card she collected. He nodded, falling asleep. She sat quietly, before she heard a knock.

"Here is your water and towels," the same woman said politely. Lucy smiled and said her thanks before taking them. She drank the water, pleasing her parched throat. As she placed the towels on her body, she looked around the room again. In the middle of one wall was a mahogany bed frame with a soft mattress. There were white sheets and a comfortable white comfortable on it. Nothing to special. There were peach colored couches and a small lacrima television. There was a mahogany dresser and a mirror on another wall. It was a beautifully simple room.

"I have your information, princess," Crux said serious, awakening with a loud yell. Lucy sat up, ignoring her muscles' protests.

"This is a very dangerous card," he said, looking at the card, "it is a high class demon. Its master must contain a lot of magical energy. Lucy, you are going against a strong enemy. If it is in its card form, either its master must have taken it away, or you had defeated." Lucy shook her head.

"I did not cause much damage to it, Crux," she said, "It was too powerful, even with Aquarius' attacks with it."

"You have the card," he said, "you just need to find the master. Maybe follow the trail the demon made. Then attack the master." Lucy grinned before nodding.

"Thank you," she said gratefully, "Bye Crux!" He nodded before disappearing into the spirit realm. Lucy looked towards her bed and shook her head. She would have to do this tonight. Lucy stood up and threw her towels to a side. As she opened the door, she couldn't help but notice a small child standing at the end of the hall.

"Hi," she said, smiling as she walked towards him. It was a little blonde boy, a small exceed with him.

"Are you going to help the village?" he asked. She nodded.

"Your town will not be bothered anymore. Once I am done with the demon, everything will be ok," she said confidently.

"Thank you," he said quietly. She nodded, ruffling his hair, and standing up.

"When I'm older, I'll be just like you, Miss. A strong mage!" he exclaimed determinedly.

"I don't doubt you one bit!" she exclaimed, proud of the kid, "Why don't you promise me that you'll become the strongest mage anyone in Fiore has ever seen?"

"The great Sting Eucliffe will definitely be the strongest mage!" the little exceed exclaimed.

"I'll keep you to that," she said, winking at the two. She stood up from her crouched position and walked to the exit.

"Bye Sting!" Lucy exclaimed, "See you after I beat the demon!" He grinned and waved as she left the building. Lucy looked around, trying to find a large area with knocked down trees. Really, it was not hard, because there was a huge area of destroyed trees and buildings. Lucy began to carefully walk towards the opening, straining her ears to hear every noise. Not a sound could be heard, except for Lucy's footsteps crunching.

Suddenly, Lucy heard a cackle. Her head whipped around towards the sound. The sounds of footsteps startled her as she noticed the bushes rustling.

"Celestial Sword:Leo," she said, narrowing her eyes. A figure ran towards her and she held up her sword in a slant. The figure jumped back, and when it came into Lucy's view, she scrunched up her face in disgust. It was a man. His face was distorted. His eyes were completely white and his black lips had spikes coming out of it. His brown hair was cropped short, spiked in every direction. The man looked insane. It almost frightened her.

"Welcome to my forest," he cackled, throwing a few cards at her, "you have my little demon. I need it back." They exploded the second they touched the ground and Lucy was thrown to a side. She staggered up, wiping the blood off her lip.

"He's the card mage," she muttered, noting her stance. He seemed confident, proud of what he was doing. But, something about his eyes seemed insane.

Lucy charged towards the man, dodging cards thrown at her and picking up her speed. The man's eyes widened, and she used her light-form sword to attack him. She hit him with force, and he dodged it. She continued to lunge at him, before she realized something was wrong. There was no way she could beat him if he kept moving like this. She panted slightly, backing away.

"So why are you here, mage?" the man asked, "You think you can defeat me with your weak magic? You can't possibly care about that pathetic village can you? Do you know what they have done?" He ran towards her and her eyes widened. He threw his fist towards her and held three cards between his fingers.

"I can defeat you, and it doesn't matter what they have done. They need my help," she said confidently, dodging his attacks and trying to swipe her sword at him. He smirked and dodged the sword. She lifted her sword to strike down, but he jumped away.

"You don't realize the power of the Great Card Mage, pathetic Celestial mage," he said triumphantly as he used another explosive card to slam Lucy away and into a nearby river. Lucy felt anger bubble in her as she stood up, soaked from the water. Her eyes widened as she felt the water drip from her clothes.

"I call upon the, Gate of the Water Bearer, Aquarius!" she exclaimed, pushing the key into the river. The card mage's eyes widened as Aquarius formed.

"Tch," Aquarius said, "Find a boyfriend." Lucy rolled her eyes before summoning Scorpius.

"Sup, Lucy," Scorpius winked at her and Aquarius shot a deadly glare at the two. Lucy focused her magical energy and her spirits began to attack the man.

"Sand Buster!" Scorpius shouted, trying to hit the man with his sand.

"Water Pillar!" Aquarius shouted at the same time. Lucy began to chant and focused in on her power. Scorpius and Aquarius disappeared with a shimmer as Lucy released her power.

"Urano Metria!" She shouted. The man's eyes widened as he threw all his cards out at once, focusing his magical energy also. The card Lucy possessed was also summoned and attacked Lucy the second it appeared. But it was too late. As Lucy's body was hit by the demon, the man became unconscious, battered as he hit the floor. Explosions sounded around them as his cards exploded as if they were bombs. The ground was destroyed as their battle came to an end. All that could be seen were damaged trees, rocks, and dirt. All the cards he had summoned had vanished, but the damage was done. The demon had used its sharp claws to attack Lucy, creating three large, bleeding gashes on her abdomen. She was bleeding, depleted of her power, and unconscious on the ground.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Two men watched from the branches as the blonde mage fighting their guild member passed out. She used quite a powerful spell. Too bad Kachi was too weak to handle it. All they asked was for him to raid the village, but he went insane again, terrorizing it and causing legal mages to get involved.

One man scoffed as he watched Kanchi fall unconscious. "What a weakling. If he wanted to fight a legal guild mage, he should have made sure he was strong enough," the man sneered, walking to the site. He took out a strong wire from his pockets and wrapped it around Kanchi's wrists. The other man moved to the blonde and did the same, pulling the wire tighter. It slightly cut her, causing her to bleed even more.

"At least we have a good looking one who was strong enough to get passed his demon, Rayo. She'll be fun to play with," the second man said with a perverted smirk. Rayo rolled his eyes.

"Shut it, Oriole," Rayo snapped, "Master Jupiter wants us to grab her and Kanchi and come back so Kanchi can get his punishment." Oriole grumbled quietly before picking up Kanchi like he was a sack. Rayo moved towards the blonde, his eyes greedily taking in her body and keys. She would be worth a lot of money. Rayo wrapped another wire around her legs and let it cut her skin as well. No one would mind too much if there were scars on her body. The second Rayo lifted her up, a key flashed. He dropped the blonde's body and let her hit the ground. Her body was becoming even more battered.

Rayo and Oriole's eyes widened as a man in a suit appeared before them. His orange hair shadowed his eyes. When he looked up, the two men were shocked at how angry he was. There was a fire in his eyes.

"What the fu-" Oriole was cut off by a punch to his face.

"Don't ever," the spirit growled, "touch my master again!" His voice turned into a roar as he kicked Rayo.

"Regulus Impact!" Loke yelled, hitting the two together. He huffed as the men fell unconscious.

"You think you scum can hurt my Lucy?" he growled, squishing their faces with his shiny black leather shoes. He began to tie them up, noticing the dark guild marks on their arms. Virgil Lore. They were famous for sex trafficking, and not being part of the Balam Alliance. They were an independent guild who only made money by selling women in Bosco or other places.

"Lucy," Loke said softly, picking up his master. He bent down and a tear slipped from his eye. He had let her almost get kidnapped by those disgusting men. He couldn't imagine the terrors Lucy would be forced to go through if he had not sensed his master's magic deplete.

Loke had grown to care for his master throughout their time together. She protected him while he protected her. He would rather die than let her be hurt. Watching and helping her train to be a powerful mage was one of the things that made him proud of her. She was determined to make the world no that Celestial mages were not weak, that they were as strong as any other mage. And they were. Lucy could become as strong as Erza if she wanted to. There was so much Celestial Magic the Lucy had yet to learn, and the Celestial Spirit King had granted her access to it. Now, all she had to do was make her magical container larger, then she would no doubt have the same magical ability as Erza Scarlet.

Loke dragged the other mages behind him, not caring when they hit a rock or branch. The sun had began to rise, meaning Lucy had finished the mission in under one day. She had become so powerful. She was not rowdy like Team Natsu, causing destruction after every mission. She wasn't too shy or quiet. She was just Lucy, a strong Celestial Mage with a desire to be strong.

"Excuse me," Loke said, knocking on the door to the mayor's building. Everything was in ruins around the building, but Lucy had barely caused any destruction during her battle with Kanchi. Since she was in the forest, there had been barely any damage to the town, except from Aquarius and Lucy's battle with the Fire Demon.

"Hello, sir," a woman said quietly, opening the door. She was the same one who gave Lucy water and bandages after she fought the Fire Demon. Loke would have to have a chat with the blonde, because she was using too much of her magical power.

"I am Loke, one of Lucy Heartfilia's contracted Celestial Spirits," he said, gesturing to the girl in his arms.

"Oh my," she gasped, "We'll call a doctor and the mayor. I'm sure he'll have the reward for your master, Mr. Loke." Loke nodded and following her to the room where they would heal Lucy. He followed her through the building, passing by many families. He made eye-contact with a small blonde boy. The boy ran towards Loke, who stared at him in surprise.

"Will Lucy be ok?" he asked, tears filling his eyes as he looked at the woman he idolized. Loke nodded.

"She'll be back to normal in no time. The demon has been defeated," Loke tried to convince the boy and himself. Many families who heard burst to tears in relief and hugged eachother. Their restless nights were over.

-Erza Scarlet-

Erza Scarlet closed her eyes as she listened to the gossip around her. It was peaceful without Natsu, Lucy, Gray, and Happy. Of couse, she felt guilty for leaving without telling, but she knew Natsu would take Lucy and Happy fishing or on a mission. Gray would be fine without her anyway. The bar she sat in was comfortable. There weren't many people in it, but it was still brimming with conversation. Whether it be of mages or regular gossip, it entertained the scarlet-haired mage. She was happy to take her mind off of things once in a while.

"Did you hear?" one man spoke, "One of Fairy Tail's mages defeated a fire demon." Erza's eyes popped opened. Fire Demon? Who was strong enough to defeat a fire demon? Maybe Natsu and Lucy took a mission together. Or maybe Juvia took the demon on.

"What?" the man across from him seemed just as surprised. The first man nodded, sipping his drink.

"The Celestial one," he explained, "Apparently it was turned into a S-Class mission. The demon was bothering Yuka Town. So many mages had given up on it so they made it S-Class. Apparently the demon was too strong for them." Erza's eyes narrowed.

"Was she with anyone?" the second man asked. He shook his head.

"All by herself. Who knew Celestial Mages were so powerful, especially a gorgeous one like her," the man commented, sipping his beer. Erza gritted her teeth as she stood up, banging her fist on the wooden table, cracking it. Lucy went on a S-Class mission on her own. Master was probably going to suspend the blonde. And where were Natsu and Gray? How was Lucy able to defeat a Fire Demon on her own? Erza grabbed her luggage before storming out of the cafe. Her break was over. There were too many questions swirling through her mind. She needed to get back to the guild.

-Natsu Dragneel-

"Natsu!" Lisanna whined as she looked around them. The village was in flames. They went on a single mission together, along with Happy, and what happens? Natsu burns the whole forest down while fighting a mage. Almost all of the reward money was used on fixing the village.

"At least we have money for fish!" Happy exclaimed, floating beside the two as they walked into the train station. Natsu turned green at the sight of all the trains. Lisanna laughed before her eye caught the sight of a new Sorcerer Weekly edition. She walked towards the stall, eager to read the new gossip. Maybe Fairy Tail had something exciting written about them.

"Hi, can I please have one Sorcerer Weekly?" she asked, pulling out a few jewels. The man in the stall handed her the edition. One sentence caught her eye.

"Lucy Heartfilia, new S-Class mage?" Lisanna breathed. There was no way. S-Class exams would have to take place for Lucy to become S-Class. Natsu and Lisanna weren't notified, so this could not be true. It was not like Lisanna did not believe Lucy was strong enough to become S Class, but just that she had never shown any true power that was worthy of S Class. Lisanna knew the blonde had the intellect, but she had never seen Lucy's magic. She had never seen Celestial Magic, so she did not know whether Lucy was as strong as the Edolas counterpart she knew.

"Lucy?" Natsu and Happy exclaimed. Natsu paled, fearing the blonde's wrath. Everyone knew that when Lucy was angry, it was scarier than Erza or Mira combined.

"We forgot to tell her we left," Natsu groaned. They boarded the train, making Natsu feel even worse. Lucy was probably going to kill them. She hated when they did things without her. Hopefully, Gray and Erza were with her. Even Mira would be fine. As long as Lucy wasn't alone. If there was one thing that Lucy hated, it was loneliness. One late night, Lucy had admitted to Natsu that she liked when he stayed over, because of her fear of loneliness. After her mother died and she was left with her neglectful father, she hated being by herself.

"Lucy's probably fine," Happy said, "she probably bought us food for when we come back." Natsu couldn't help but feel like he betrayed her. He couldn't believe he was so careless to not tell his best friend that he was leaving with Lisanna.

-At the Guild-

"Lucy has only been one day," Makarov reassured himself quietly, "She's probably fine. She has her new magic." The guild was rowdy enough for no one to hear his worried thoughts. Mira stood behind him, wiping her glass nervously. She heard Master's thoughts, and was nervous as well. This demon made an S-Class mission, meaning it would be difficult for her to defeat. What made her confused, was the last bit Master Makarov said. She was unaware of any new magic Lucy had learned. Mira was surprised to hear that she learned a new magic and was actually curious. She was not aware of any other form of Celestial Magic besides Holder.

"Oi, Oi!" Macao called, "Check it out!" A crowd was surrounding Macao. Many people began talking, commenting on the inaccuracy, but how amazed they were.

"Wow! Lucy's gotten so strong!" One said. Makarov's interest peaked and he moved towards them, sipping his beer.

"Look at this Master Makarov," Reedus said, "Lucy defeated a demon." Makarov's eyes widened as he read the paragraph on Lucy's mission.

"How did she become so powerful?" Wakaba asked.

"Why did she take a S-Class quest?" Macao asked. Many people chimed in agreement.

"It was not made S-Class until after she took it. I believed she was strong enough to take the demon on, and so I let her go," Makarov said simply. However, he was troubled. If she was already done with the mission, why didn't she get to the guild yet made him worried. She should have at least contacted him. It was mandatory, afterall. Once a mission is finished, and it is long distance, it was required to call Master Makarov so he would not be worried for them. Lucy knew this, so why hadn't she called.

"Master," Mira said gently, "Lucy will be fine." She spoke against her own thoughts. Lucy should have contacted Master. Mira thought of Lucy as her little sister, like how Lisanna was to her. Lucy worried her even when she was with Team Natsu, and Mira knew she was safe. She didn't want to lose another sister.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Lucy moaned as she opened her eyes. She felt drained and her body ached. Her eyes immediately shut as she noticed the light in the room. "Hello?" She croaked, cracking her eyes slightly open again. The room was unfamiliar. It was white and was filled with medical beds, but they were all empty. She could hear people outside, but no one was in the room.

"Hello?" She coughed and tried to speak a little louder. She heard a voice.

"One minute Miss Lucy," a kind woman's voice spoke. Lucy sat up slightly, feeling the pain and ache in her body even more.

"Hello, Miss Lucy," the woman appeared in front of her. She had lavender colored hair and wore a long dress. It covered her body, but still accentuated her large breasts and thighs.

"Hello," Lucy said back politely. She was still confused. What had happened?

"Oh, sorry," the woman blushed, "my name is Driasa, the town medic. I came back from a short trip and found my town in ruins. The townspeople told me you had arrived back here in a terribly battered state. I tried to fix you up with some of the magical charms I picked up, but I'm afraid I am not as good as the young sky dragon slayer from your guild." Lucy smiled gratefully, but the thought of the small mage made her feel disappointed. They had all left her for others. It reminded her of why she went on this mission in the first place.

"Thank you Driasa," she said softly, "were my keys delivered here? And my whip and sword?" The woman nodded and pointed to the bedside table. Everything was there. Lucy sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness," she sighed in relief seeing them shine brightly. There was ash covering some of them, meaning she would have to clean them all. Lucy held her keys fondly and the woman smiled softly. She had met many mages during her travels, but this one seemed special. She had seemed powerful from the beginning, but seeing that she cared for her magic as a holder mage mage Driasa feel proud of the mage. Most holder mages she met discarded their items like they were toys, but Lucy seemed to truly care about her keys.

"Well, Miss Lucy, really all you need is rest. But if you would like, you can return home," she said, "I suggest icing any wounds or having your sky dragon friend help you."

"Thank you Driasa," Lucy smiled, "I really appreciate it."

"It was all I could do," Driasa replied sincerely, "Especially after you defeated that demon for our town. Have a good trip back, Miss Lucy." Lucy nodded and let the woman leave.

"Virgo," Lucy chanted the spell for the spirit to come to her realm.

"Hello Princess," Virgo said, "We are all glad you are ok. Leo was very worried." Her maid outfit was clean and her cuffs were shining.

"Thank you guys, but I am alright," Lucy looked down, "I still need to become stronger, Virgo."

"Princess, you defeated a demon," Virgo said, curiously staring down at her master.

"But barely, Natsu, Gray, or Erza could easily beat it. I know I have worked hard, but not strong enough," she felt tears of frustration rise.

"Lucy," Loke appeared and Virgo left, knowing her big brother could help the mage out of her sadness.

"Loke you know it's true," Lucy said bitterly, "One shot and the demon would have been gone."

"But Lucy, you aren't any of them," Loke insisted.

"Help me get stronger Loke. Not for a long time. Maybe I'll take a week away from the guild and get stronger," Lucy said determined, "I can't get any better if I'm not training."

"Alright. It'll be as intense as it was with Capricorn," he said, "In fact, I'll let Capricorn train you with me." Lucy smiled gratefully, wiping away her tears.

"Thank you, Loke," she said. She stood up and stretched, groaning as she felt the kinks in her back.

"Excuse me?" the mayor opened the door and Lucy smiled at him. Loke disappeared, slightly putting off the mayor.

"Hello, Mayor Baha," Lucy greeted, finally having the excitement and shock of completing a mission on her own hit her.

"I brought your reward," He said, holding out a pouch. Lucy then frowned, looking out the window. The town was in major ruins. There was not a single building that was in full construction. After Lucy's battle with the demon, many stray attacks his nearby buildings, damaging them. It would take them a lot of time to rebuild if they were running on the small funds they had.

"Keep it," she said softly. His eyes widened and he choked.

"What?" he asked.

"Keep it, sir," she repeated, turning towards him, "I may need the rent, but I will manage if I hold off for one week. I can always take more missions, but your town needs the money to rebuild. So I wish for you to keep the reward money." Tears filled his eyes.

"Thank you," he said, "Thank you so much. Yuka Town will always be in your debt." Lucy smiled as he left but then sighed, sitting down. There goes her rent money. But it did not matter. She had completed a mission on her own and that was all that mattered.

"Lucy!" a small voice yelled. She looked up and saw Sting running towards her. His exceed ran next to him.

"Hi Sting," she said softly. He wrapped her arms around her waist and she giggled, holding back the groan of pain that was begging to be released.

"Thank you so much," he said, hugging her tighter.

"It was no problem, kiddo. I'm a Fairy Tail mage," she smiled, showing him the mark on her hand. He grinned and began to ask her about how she defeated the monster.

"So Loke is your slave?" Sting asked as Lucy finished telling him about her mission. He was amazed that she was so powerful. Even the other mages that came were not strong enough to beat the monster.

"No, silly," Lucy laughed, "Loke's my friend. I would never treat my spirits as my slaves. That would be cruelty. I love all my spirits." Just then, Loke appeared.

"Hi Loke!" Lucy greeted, "This is Sting Eucliffe!" Loke grinned at the kid.

"I'm Loke, Lucy's strongest spirit!" Loke smirked proudly, letting his sunglasses reflect the light for a moment. His suit was fresh and clean.

"I'm a white dragon slayer!" Sting exclaimed, "I'm going to be the strongest dragon slayer ever!" Lucy giggled and ruffled his hair.

"Work hard enough and you will," she said softly, letting him sit on the bed with her. They spent the next hour chatting while Lucy tried standing again and stretching. Sting asked her about her magic and Lucy demonstrated as much as she could without getting dizzy or tired.

"Princess," Virgo said, as she was the spirit out at the time, "I am going to return. Go to the train station when you can, but do not overexert yourself." Lucy smiled and nodded.

"Awe, you're leaving," Sting whined. Lucy smiled, nodding.

"Sorry Sting, I need to go back home," she said, ruffling his hair. He hugged her once more.

"Let me walk to the train station with you," he said, not wanting to let her leave so soon. She nodded and held his hand as she walked out. Sting talked about all the things he aspired to be when he grew up.

"Well Sting," Lucy said, bending down to his level and pulling out her purse, "Let's take a picture, for both of us, so we never forget each other." He grinned and she pulled out a camera lacrima.

"Say magic!" she smiled. The smiled in the picture and the lacrima printed out two pictures of them.

"Bye Lucy!" He exclaimed with a cheerful smile as she boarded the train.

"Bye Sting!" she waved, smiling as she went into the train. Sting felt tears falling down his face as he clutched his picture of them. She was his first friend besides Lector.

Lucy sat in the train for a while, grateful she could rest for a while, before remembering what Master Makarov had told her to do. **_She forgot to call him with her lacrima!_**

Lucy quickly whipped out her lacrima before fueling her magic into it slightly. She imagined Master Makarov in her mind and waited until he picked up. There was a stern expression on his face.

"Master!" she exclaimed sheepishly, "Hi!"

"Lucy, I told you to call me the second you got there," Makarov said sternly. The train hit a bump and Lucy almost lost her grip on the lacrima in her hands.

"I'm so sorry Master," she said, the train hit another bump before Lucy could continue speaking. She looked up with suspicion written on her face. What was going on? Usually these trains ran smooth.

"There are some things we must discuss when you come back to the guild, but for now-" the lacrima broke off and Lucy stared at it in surprise. She tried turning it back on, but it did not work.

"What is going on?" she mumbled, putting her lacrima away and grabbing her keys. The train came to a stop and Lucy looked out of the window. They were in the middle of a deep forest. The woods were thick near them.

"Excuse me," a crazed voice spoke through the speaker, "I'm afraid I am in need of someone on this train. If you wish to escape this train unscathed, return Miss Lucy Heartfilia to me. You see, she captured 3 very important members of my guild, and I am afraid that just won't do." There was a cackle as he continued. "Miss Heartfilia, if you do not surrender yourself to the conductor's room in the next 10 minutes, this conductor and every single person in the first train compartment will be annihilated." The mic shut off and the lights were cut for a moment, letting people panic, before turning back on. When did she capture three members, she only captured one.

"Lucy," Loke shined and had a serious look on his face.

"Loke, what were they just talking about?" she asked, panicked, "I-I never captured three members of a guild. I only captured the one that I was fighting."

"There were two men who tried to capture you after you fell unconscious. They were part of the dark guild Virgil Lore. I knocked them out and gave them to the Rune Knights. I never knew the rest of the guild would try to attack you," he said, worried, "I'll inform everyone to be ready to help you." With that, he flashed away and Lucy began to feel herself panic even more. A whole dark guild was after her. Not only were the a dark guild, but they were a guild well known for their sex trafficking and murders. She stepped forwards, trying not to make a noise.

"Lucy Heartfilia of Fairy Tail, 5 minutes are left," Lucy's eyes widened. She began to run to the conductor's carriage. She was grateful she was not wearing heels for once. If she had, she would have fallen through the cracks between the train compartments. Like Virgil Lore's master said, there was no one occupying the first carriage. She pushed the last door to the conductor's carriage, panting.

"Free them," she panted, "I am here. Let them be free." She looked at everyone in the compartment, who had tears in their eyes. Lucy's magic level was not as high as she wished it was.

"Lucy Heartfilia," the master stood from the conductor's spot. He had large mint green shaped hair and there were gold balls in them. He wore a black pair of pants and a mint green shirt. There were many black lines crossing through it. For eyes, he had large black and white swirls that spun. His teeth were sharp and gold. A set of knifes were on his waist, each of them were dangerously sharp.

"Release them," she repeated, "I'm here."

"Jumping so quickly," he cackled, snapping his fingers. Before Lucy could react, two men were holding her back.

"I don't know if you know how I am, Miss Heartfilia," he grinned, making Lucy alert, "But my name is Master Jupiter. Creator of Virgil Lore guild and King of the Underground. My guild may not be part of the Balam Alliance, but we are the most dangerous guild you could ever meet." He pulled out on of his knives, smiling insanely.

"What-"

"Shh," he patted Lucy's cheek with his knife and her eyes widened.

"We Virgil Lore members do not like to be messed with," he said, licking his knife, "And since you have taken away three members of our guild, you will pay for what you have done."


End file.
